Introduction and Technical Specifications
The Crosshair VI Hero is among ASUS’ high performance offerings for the AMD Ryzen processor with the features and performance to be a serious competitor…
Introduction
Courtesy of ASUS
The ASUS Crosshair VI Hero board features a black PCB with a plastic armor overlay covering the board's rear panel and audio subsystem components. ASUS added RGB LED backlighting to the rear panel cover and chipset heat sink to illuminate the board and ASUS ROG logos, as well as under board lighting along the sound PCB separator line. ASUS designed the board around the AMD X370 chipset, offering support for AMD's Ryzen processor line and Dual Channel DDR4 memory running at a 2400MHz speed. The Crosshair VI Hero motherboard can be found in the wild at an MRSP of $254.99
Courtesy of ASUS
To power the Ryzen CPU, ASUS integrated a 12 phase digital power delivery system into the Crosshair VI Hero, providing enough juice to push your CPU to its limits. The following features have been integrated into the board: eight SATA III 6Gbps ports; an M.2 PCIe Gen3 x4 32Gbps capable port; an RJ-45 port featuring the Intel I211-AT Gigabit NIC; three PCI-Express x16 slots; two PCI-Express x1 slots; the ASUS SupremeFX S1220 8-Channel audio subsystem; integrated DVI-D and HDMI video ports; and USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 Type-A and Type-C port support.
Courtesy of ASUS
For superior audio performance, ASUS built the Crosshair VI Hero's audio subsystem around the SupremeFX CODEC, featuring Nichicon audio capacitors, switching MOSFETs, a high-precision clock source, an ESS ESS9023P DAC, and an RC4580 audio buffer.
Courtesy of ASUS
To appease their AMD user population, ASUS designed the CPU cooler mount for compatibility with both the AM3 and AM4 style coolers. This gives users a wider selection of cooling solutions available to use with the board.
Courtesy of ASUS
For all of your on-board lighting needs, ASUS integrated RGB LEDs into their rear panel and chipset covers, as well as dual on-board 4-pin RGB headers. The board lighting can be controlled via the AURA app, offering nine different operating modes including Static, Breathing, Strobing, Color Cycle, Music Effect, CPU Temperature controlled, Rainbow, Comet, and Flash & Dash.
Courtesy of ASUS
For added customizability potential, the Crosshair VI Hero has two mount points for 3D printed accessories, one directly below the DIMM slots and the other to the left of the X370 chipset cooler. Templates can be found on the product website.
Courtesy of ASUS
The Crosshair VI Hero's rear panel has the following ports integrated: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and 3.1 ports, an Intel I211-AT RJ-45 GigE port, CMOS Clear and BIOS Flashback buttons, and both digital and analogue audio ports.
Technical Specifications (taken from the ASUS website)
CPU | AMD AM4 Socket for AMD Ryzen™/7th Generation A-series/Athlon™ Processors Supports AM4 Socket 14 nm CPU Supports CPU up to 8 cores * Refer to www.asus.com for CPU support list |
Chipset | AMD X370 |
Memory | AMD Ryzen™ Processors 4 x DIMM, Max. 64GB, DDR4 3200(O.C.)/2666/2400/2133 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory * AMD 7th Generation A-series/Athlon™ Processors 4 x DIMM, Max. 64GB, DDR4 2400/2133 MHz Non-ECC, Un-buffered Memory * Dual Channel Memory Architecture ** Refer to www.asus.com for the Memory QVL (Qualified Vendors Lists). |
Multi-GPU Support | Supports NVIDIA® 2-Way SLI™ Technology *3 Supports AMD CrossFireX™ Technology *3 Due to CPU limitation, NVIDIA® 2-Way SLI™ Technology is not supported for AMD 7th Gen A-series/Athlon™ Processors. |
Expansion Slots | AMD Ryzen™ Processors 2 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x16 or dual x8) AMD 7th Generation A-series/Athlon™ Processors 1 x PCIe 3.0/2.0 x16 (x8 mode) AMD X370 chipset 1 x PCIe 2.0 x16 (max at x4 mode) *1 3 x PCIe 2.0 x1 *1 PCIeX4_3 slot shares bandwidth with PCIeX1_1, PCIeX1_2 and PCIeX1_3. |
Storage | AMD Ryzen™ Processors : 1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA & PCIE 3.0 x 4 mode) AMD 7th Generation A-series/Athlon™ Processors : 1 x M.2 Socket 3, with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support (SATA mode) AMD X370 chipset : 8 x SATA 6Gb/s port(s) Support Raid 0, 1, 10 |
LAN | Intel® I211-AT, 1 x Gigabit LAN Controller(s) Anti-surge LANGuard ROG GameFirst IV |
Audio | ROG SupremeFX 8-Channel High Definition Audio CODEC S1220 – Impedance sense for front and rear headphone outputs – Supports : Jack-detection, Multi-streaming, Front Panel Jack-retasking – High quality 120 dB SNR stereo playback output and 113 dB SNR recording input – SupremeFX Shielding Technology – ESS® ES9023P – Supports up to 32-Bit/192kHz playback *2 *2 Due to limitations in HDA bandwidth, 32-Bit/192kHz is not supported for 8-Channel audio. Audio Feature : – Gold-plated jacks – Optical S/PDIF out port(s) at back panel – Sonic Radar III – Sonic Studio III |
USB Ports | AMD Ryzen™/7th Generation A-series/Athlon™ Processors : 4 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s) (4 at back panel, blue) AMD X370 chipset : 1 x USB 3.1 front panel connector port(s) 6 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s) (4 at back panel, blue, 2 at mid-board) 6 x USB 2.0 port(s) (4 at back panel, black, 2 at mid-board) ASMedia® USB 3.1 controller : 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 port(s) (2 at back panel, black+red, Type-A + USB Type-CTM) |
ROG Exclusive Features | Clear CMOS button ROG RAMCache II ROG CPU-Z ROG CloneDrive Slow Mode Overwolf ReTry Button Safe Boot Button Start Button Reset Button LN2 Mode GameFirst IV ROG Aura – Aura Lighting Control – Aura RGB Strip Headers Extreme Engine Digi+ : – MicroFine Alloy Chokes – NexFET™ Power Block MOSFET – 10K Black Metallic Capacitors Mem TweakIt KeyBot II – One-click Overclocking – DirectKey – ClrCMOS – Power On UEFI BIOS features : – O.C. Profile – Tweakers' Paradise – ROG SSD Secure Erase – Graphic Card Information Preview ROG RAMDisk Extreme Tweaker Loadline Calibration BIOS Flashback |
Special Features | ASUS Dual Intelligent Processors 5-Way Optimization by Dual Intelligent Processors 5 : – 5-Way Optimization tuning key perfectly consolidates TPU, EPU, DIGI+ VRM, Fan Expert 4, and Turbo App TPU – Fan Xpert 4 featuring Fan Auto Tuning function and multiple thermistors Gamer's Guardian: – SafeSlot ASUS Exclusive Features : – AI Suite 3 ASUS EZ DIY : – ASUS CrashFree BIOS 3 – ASUS EZ Flash 3 ASUS Q-Design : – ASUS Q-Shield – ASUS Q-Code – ASUS Q-LED (CPU, DRAM, VGA, Boot Device LED) – ASUS Q-DIMM – ASUS Q-Connector |
Back I/O Ports | 1 x LAN (RJ45) port(s) 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (black)USB Type-CTM 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (red)Type-A 8 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 (blue) 4 x USB 2.0 (one port can be switched to USB BIOS Flashback) 1 x Optical S/PDIF out 1 x Clear CMOS button(s) 1 x USB BIOS Flashback Button(s) 5 x Gold-plated audio jacks 1 x M.2 Wi-Fi Slot |
Internal I/O Ports | 2 x RGB Header(s) 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 connector(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1 port(s) 1 x USB 2.0 connector(s) support(s) additional 2 USB 2.0 port(s) 1 x M.2 Socket 3 with M key, type 2242/2260/2280/22110 storage devices support 1 x TPM header 8 x SATA 6Gb/s connector(s) 1 x CPU Fan connector(s) 1 x CPU OPT Fan connector(s) 3 x Chassis Fan connector(s) 1 x W_PUMP+ connector 1 x AIO_PUMP connector 1 x 8-pin EATX 12 V Power connector 1 x 4-pin EATX 12 V_1 Power connector(s) 1 x 24-pin EATX Power connector(s) 1 x Front panel audio connector(s) (AAFP) 1 x Slow Mode switch(es) 1 x Thermal sensor connector(s) 1 x Reset button(s) 1 x LN2 Mode jumper(s) 1 x ROG extension (ROG_EXT) header(s) 1 x Safe Boot button 1 x ReTry button 1 x System panel connector 2 x 3D Mount screw port(s) 1 x W_IN header 1 x W_OUT header 1 x W_FLOW header 1 x Start button 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 front panel connector |
Accessories | User's manual ASUS Q-Shield 4 x SATA 6Gb/s cable(s) 1 x M.2 Screw Package 1 x Supporting DVD 1 x SLI HB BRIDGE(2-WAY-M) 1 x ROG big sticker 1 x Q-Connector 1 x 10-in-1 ROG cable label 1 x Extension Cable for RGB strips (80 cm) 1 x 3D printing mount package 1 x ROG coaster(s) |
BIOS | 128 Mb Flash ROM, UEFI AMI BIOS, PnP, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 3.0, ACPI 6.1, Multi-language BIOS, ASUS EZ Flash 3, CrashFree BIOS 3, F11 EZ Tuning Wizard, F6 Qfan Control, F3 My Favorites, Last Modified log, F12 PrintScreen and ASUS DRAM SPD (Serial Presence Detect) memory information |
Manageability | WfM 2.0, WOL by PME, PXE |
Support Disc | Drivers AURA ROG GameFirst IV*3 ROG RAMDisk ROG RAMCache II ROG CPU-Z ROG Mem TweakIt ROG Keybot II Sonic Studio III Sonic Radar III Overwolf CloneDrive Kaspersky® Anti-Virus DAEMON Tools Software Winzip ASUS WebStorage ASUS Utilities |
Operating System | Windows® 10 64-bit |
Form Factor | ATX Form Factor 12 inch x 9.6 inch ( 30.5 cm x 24.4 cm ) |
The CMOS battery should have
The CMOS battery should have a motorized, pop-up holder with RGB lighting. 5/10.
Are CMOS batteries 10 cents a
Are CMOS batteries 10 cents a volt yet?
Ryan’s waiting from them to
Ryan's waiting from them to drop to 10volts / cent lol….
bottom of page 2:
“Simply
bottom of page 2:
“Simply plug in a USB drive containing the proper BIOS file in the root of the drive into the lower USB 3.0 port (blue colored) located beneath the PS/2 port and power on the system.”
you have a PS/2 port ? and is it not the lower black USB port that is used for BIOS flashing ? (when comparing to my board)
Oversight on my part, thanks
Oversight on my part, thanks for pointing that out. Its been fixed to reflect the proper port position and type..
Seems fishy to see a review
Seems fishy to see a review of this board that actually doesn’t mention any of the major issues people are complaining about. The Cold Boot issue, CPU, AIO, and motherboard fan headers shutting off completely for no reason until the system overheats, no AGESA update since 1.0.0.6, inconsistent BIOS updates, and basically the board has been abandoned by Asus support on their own official forum! Don’t buy this POS! How much was PCPer paid for their fictional favorable review?
Thanks for your input.
Thanks for your input. Didn't see any of those issues in testing. It was a bit difficult to get dialed in, but no more than any new platform or first experience with a new platform…
Thank you for the review. I
Thank you for the review. I was the one who asked Ryan if you could do AMD motherboard reviews on Mailbag #2. Glad to see the first one done.
I would love to see the review of Crosshair VI Extreme but since that’s essentially a beefed up version of Hero it would problably not be very intresting. Maybe one of the better B350 boards or one of the other top X370 boards then. Keep up the good work.